GEM5® Lights
Underwater high power LED
grow lights
for all styles of algae
scrubbers, reactors,
seaweed cultivators, and
hydroponics
Underwater rated
IP65, IP66, IP66K, IP67,
IP68, IP69K
(high pressure steam
proof)
Videos:
GEM5 lights everywhere:
GEM5 lights used for algae/cheato reactors:
GEM5 power supply handles Four (4) lights:
GEM5 power cord for 240 and 120 volts:
GEM5 suction cups:
Operates on both 120 and 240V. Can be shipped to any
country; you can find shipping costs by putting the item into the
shopping cart; be sure to click "display rates"
No dangerous metal 240/120 volt lights. White case material absorbs heat from LEDs.
GEM5® lights are the very first lights ever designed just for algae scrubbers and seaweed cultivators. Because of
the very wet and splashy environments that waterfall scrubber lights must operate in, and the underwater
environments that some upflow scrubbers must operate in, these GEM5 lights are made with a high tech material which
not only seals out water but also removes heat from the LED so that it remains at the proper operating temperature
in any environment, submerged or not.
These GEM5 lights can also be used for underwater algal growth in hydroponics, illuminating the roots of the plants
to grow algae on them; this adds oxygen to the water and to the roots themselves. And if you have or are building a
chaeto reactor, put some GEM5 lights on the outside of the reactor (shining in), or on the inside of the reactor (in
the water), especially at the bottom (shining up).
GEM5 lights can be mounted with 2-sided foam tape (included) if you put them above the water line, such as over a
sump or on the outside of a sump wall or reactor. Or if you prefer the light to be easily removable, then the
mounting lugs on each end of a GEM5 light can be suction cupped (included) or screwed to a surface, and the light
can then be removed easily by just lifting up one end and sliding out the other. The GEM5 can be attached in either
direction: With the LEDs facing the wall (shining through a clear wall), or with the LEDs facing away from the wall.
When facing away from the wall (and above the water) the raised-letter logo keeps a small distance between the GEM5
and the wall so as to allow cooling air to circulate there.
Each GEM5 light uses 5 real watts (volts X amps) for the power; it does not use "equivalent" watts like CFL lights
do, and it does not "say" 5 watts but only use 3 watts like almost all LED grow-lights do. Because it uses real
watts, each GEM5 light puts out the same algal-growth illumination that a "larger" 10 watt LED or 20 watt CFL bulb
does. The GEM5 is pure deep red 660nm (nanometer), which is the primary growth spectrum for macroalgae (seaweed),
and is also easier on the eyes when you have to look at it.
The power supply for the GEM5 is a fully isolated, low-voltage, LED power supply that is CE, UL, Canadian UL, and
FCC approved. One power supply can power 1, 2, 3 or 4 of these GEM5 lights, using the 4-plug connector included. Any
of the 4 plugs that are not used are to be capped off with the included caps. With 4 lights, you are getting a full
20 watts of illumination output, which is the "equivalent" of 40 watts of regular (especially Chinese) grow lights,
or 80 watts of CFL bulbs.
The real beauty of a GEM5 light, however, is it's all-environment capability. It's patent-pending case is a solid
(not hollow) high-tech material which not only completely seals the LEDs when under water, but also removes heat
from the LEDs when above the water. This is very unique because normal resin or silicone would trap so much heat
inside that the LEDs would burn up. The high-tech material used in the GEM5 means the light requires no cooling fans
or heat sinks when operated in the air, and requires no waterproofing when operated under water. Matter of fact, if
you have 4 of the GEM5 lights (with one power supply) you can put 2 of the lights on one side of your growth in the
air, and the other 2 lights on the other side of your growth in the water. And this includes setting the lights on
the bottom of your sump so they shine up from below! Don't try that with your Chinese grow lights.
The GEM5 was designed because of the severe lack of lights for algae scrubbers and reactors, and the nonexistence
of lights for underwater hydroponics. If you were building a waterfall or horizontal river style scrubber, up until
now you either had to build your own LED circuit board and then put it behind a clear protective sheet, or you had
to get a big bulky plant-grow light and try to find room to mount it and worry about line voltage being near the
water. And if you were building an upflow style scrubber, your only choice was to put a light on the outside of a
sump, shining through the sump wall; there was no easy way to get light on the other (wet) side. And even if you
were just growing chaeto, all you could do was put a light over the top of the sump; it was very hard to put a light
on the sides of the sump, and impossible to put one below, so those areas stayed dark. And dark does not grow or
filter. And lastly, once you finally got your configuration set up, you still had almost no way of adding extra
lights later.
The GEM5 changes all that. In addition to being able to be placed anywhere, it's also modular, meaning that you can
start with only a few lights now but add more later, and use them together in a small space too. The lights do this
job so well that they will be the standard lights for the new Santa Monica Filtration waterfall scrubbers available
soon, which will of course be available in 1, 2 or 4 light options.
The GEM5 lights are also great for regular lighting of hydroponics and aquaponics, especially when you need a
completely waterproof light source. And you can easily move the lights from above (for plant growth) to below (for
root algal growth). The wide-spreading light pattern allows the GEM5 to be placed just 2" (5cm) from the algae when
in the air, or actually touching the algae when in the water. Algae might even grow on the light!
Lastly, since each GEM5 light consumes 5 real watts just for illumination, it can be used as a heater when placed
under water; so you can heat and filter at the same time. Using four lights (with one power supply) will act as a
real 20 watt heater.
These GEM5 lights and power supply come with a 1 year warranty. For warranty replacements, you must send the old
one back to us first.
Can be shipped to any country; you can find shipping costs by using the
shopping cart; be sure to click "display rates". If you don't have a zip code, enter "zip code"
instead. Note that shipping outside of the USA will probably require you to also pay an import charge when
it arrives. We cannot mark it as "gift". The lowest cost (but slowest) foreign shipping is generally USPS
First Class Package International, but USPS Priority Mail International is faster and has tracking and
insurance. The size of the shipping box is 11 x 7.5 x 5 inches, (28 x 19 x 10 cm).
GEM5 instructions:
No returns; please make sure this is the model you need.
